New Albuquerque Southwest Bar & Grill serves up mixed results
- Steven Keith
- 7 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Businessman Sergio LugaMato has quickly built a not-so-small regional restaurant empire over the past few years, opening Sergio’s Italian restaurants in Hurricane and Charleston, along with Guadalajara Mexican spots in Nitro and Barboursville.
I really enjoyed Guadalajara Modern Mexican in Nitro when I reviewed it back in 2023, praising its authentic Jalisco-style dishes offered with a modern twist. But I didn’t have as much love when I reviewed Sergio’s Cucina Italiana & Pizzas on Charleston’s West Side, where the pastas and salads we sampled were a mixed bag of success.
That same inconsistency at Sergio’s pretty much defines LugaMato’s newest venture – Albuquerque Southwest Bar & Grill inside the old Elk City Grill (formerly Gonzoburger and Chris’ Hot Dogs) on West Washington Street – which I’ve now visited twice with different experiences each time.
One dish was fantastic, one had promise, two were lacking and the margaritas I sipped there (all the same kind, mind you) never tasted the same way twice.
The place needs work, but LugaMato is one of the hardest working guys in the business so I hope Albuquerque can tighten things up in the coming months.
Since the restaurant touted offering authentic Southwest dishes in addition to the usual Mexican fare, I definitely wanted to try the most unexpected items I could find on the menu during my first visit.
Unfortunately, that consisted of fried flautas that didn’t have much flavor and ordering them “loaded” just meant topped with lettuce, tomato and sour cream. The red pozole (a traditional Southwest soup packed with pork and hominy) came in a bowl larger than my dinner plate – and the silky tomato-based broth was drinkably delicious – but there were only a few chunks of meat and pretty much no hominy in it.
Less-than-impressed with those choices, I ordered a cheesy chili relleno with rice and beans before heading out and it wasn’t bad.
During that visit, however, I overheard another waiter raving about the restaurant’s chicken quesadillas (which the diners beside me were loving) so I went all in on that option during my second trip.
They were outstanding! The chicken was tender, moist and nicely seasoned and the extra grilled veggies we asked to be stuffed inside were savory and delicious.
Although it took the restaurant a couple months to secure its liquor license, it’s now serving adult beverages – including margaritas, of course. But two were thin and watery, one was too thick and syrupy-sweet, and one was crisp, clean and perfect.
It’s that inconsistency in food and drinks that will hurt Albuquerque the most if they don’t get that in check soon.
Our service has been good, though, and they’ve done a nice job sprucing up the place. Minor updates have preserved Chris’ Hot Dogs’ historic charm, although some have lamented the removal of the classic (but incredible small and uncomfortable) wooden booths that once lined one side of the dining room. The beautiful bar is still intact.
While I’ve heard a few glowing reviews from other diners, I was surprised that the restaurant was virtually empty both times I visited – once on a Saturday during lunch and most recently on a Friday afternoon leading into the early dinner hour.
It makes me wonder if others are lukewarm on the place as well, but only time will tell. I root for all independently owned local restaurants to succeed, and this one is no different.
IF YOU GO: Albuquerque Southwest Bar & Grill at 207 W. Washington St. in Charleston is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday and noon to 7:30 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 681-293-2621 or check out the restaurant’s Facebook page.
Karubees closing in Charleston, moving to Huntington
I’m crushed, I say. Crushed!
After years of operation – first in Dunbar and most recently in Charleston – Karubees Jamaican Restaurant is closing its downtown Lee Street location at the end of June and reopening in Huntington this August.
“WAH GWAAN!” the restaurant stated in a recent Facebook post. (That’s a common Jamaican expression for “What’s up?”)
“As many of you already know, we are going to be closing our Charleston location and reopening in Huntington. Don’t worry! We're still here through June and we’ll be here for Charleston Sternwheel Regatta,” where they plan to serve food as well.
They’ll reopen this August in space formerly occupied by Mo Betta BBQ inside downtown Huntington’s The Market, a multi-business complex that offers a mix of retail shops and restaurants with indoor and outdoor seating right down the street from Pullman Square and 9th Street Live.
“We appreciate all of your support over the years and can’t even describe how being a part of the Charleston community has changed our lives. We’re eternally grateful to each of you. We do have some exciting things coming to Karubees, such as the option to buy in bulk so you can stock up on flavor, and we’re in talks of a potential weekly food delivery day in Charleston for our Karubees family.”
My love for Karubees has been well-documented (check out this glowing review from 2019) so this is a tough one for me to take. Fortunately, Huntington is only a short drive away, so I can still enjoy their great food and hit a few other River City favorites like Gumbo Stop Café and Bahnhof WVursthaus & Biergarten while I’m there.
IF YOU GO: Karubees Jamaican Restaurant at 714 Lee St. E. in Charleston will remain open at that location through June. Hours there are 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and noon to 5:30 p.m. Saturday. The restaurant plans to reopen in Huntington this August. For more information, call 304-400-6166 or visit the restaurant’s Facebook page.
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Steven Keith is a food writer and restaurant critic known as “The Food Guy” who writes a weekly column for the Charleston Gazette-Mail and has appeared in several state, regional and national culinary publications. Follow him online at www.wvfoodguy.com or on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. He can be reached at 304-380-6096 or at wvfoodguy@aol.com.